1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electrical drive system for rotating the cluster of barrels in a Gatling type gun.
2. Prior Art
An electrical drive system for rotating the cluster of barrels was shown by R. J. Gatling in U.S. Pat. No. 502,185 issued July 25, 1893 as an alternative to the then conventional handcrank. The early modern Gatling type gun was similarly driven by an electric motor, as shown by H. M. Otto in U.S. Pat. No. 2,849,921 issued Sept. 2, 1958. In these and subsequent Gatling type guns, after a burst had been fired the motor was de-engaged and the barrel cluster was permitted to coast to a halt while the feeder was declutched and any already fed rounds of ammunition were passed through and out of the gun without being fired. In the GAU-8/A gun, which is driven by a hydraulic motor, after the burst is fired, the direction of rotation of the barrel cluster is reversed and any rounds already in the gun are fed back through the feeder into the ammunition handling system. A pneumatic system, subsequent to the GAU-8/A gun, which can accomplish such reverse clearing is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,046,056 issued Sept. 6, 1977 to G. W. Carrie.
There are many electric motor systems which are used for direction and speed controlled drive. Exemplary systems are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,213,343 issued to S. J. Sheheen on Oct. 19, 1965; U.S. Pat. No. 3,349,309 issued to A. C. Dannettell on Oct. 24, 1967; U.S. Pat. No. 3,694,715 issued to J. R. Van Der Linde et al on Sept. 26, 1972; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,519,907 issued to A. P. White et al on July 7, 1970.